About Costa Rica


Costa Rica is a small Central American country whose people, commonly (and affectionately) called Ticos, made two momentous decisions during the twentieth century.

The first occurred in 1948 when Costa Rica “declared peace to the world”. On the fifty-fifth anniversary of that decision, the United Nations Secretary-General stated:

Costa Rica’s decision to abolish its armed forces, on 1 December 1948, was a decision of great boldness, but also of great wisdom.  It undoubtedly explains –- at least in part -– the fact that Costa Rica today ranks among the highest countries in the Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme.  Costa Ricans have sought security by investing their scarce resources, not in weapons and other military expenditure, but in the provision of essential welfare services and the pursuit of peace and justice -- both domestic and international.


The adult literacy rate is 95%, life expectancy exceeds that of many "more developed" countries including the United States, and the standard of living is the highest in all of Central America. A public health system covers the entire population (and is open to foreign tourists and residents as well), with costs based on the individual's ability to pay, while several private health facilities provide such a high quality of care, at a fraction of the costs charged in other countries, that the country has become one of the most popular destinations for "medical tourism."

The people of Costa Rica are immensely proud of their beautiful country, and of its peaceful nature. (Costa Rica's president, during an earlier term in office, was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for his successful efforts in negotiating an end to civil wars that had plagued other Central American countries.)

Costa Rica's efforts to declare "Peace with Nature" have been at least as important.

With a land area of only 51,100 km2 (0.03% of the planet’s surface) and 589,000 km2 of territorial waters, Costa Rica is considered to be one of the 20 countries with greatest biodiversity in the world. The more than 500,000 species that are found in this small country represent nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide.

In 1970, due to a growing fear that something unique and lovely was vanishing, Costa Rica began a systematic effort to save what was left of the wilderness, and created a national park system that has won worldwide admiration. Costa Rican law declared inviolate 10.27 percent of a land once compared to Eden; an additional 17 percent is legally set aside as forest reserves, "buffer zones," wildlife refuges, and indigenous reserves. Throughout the country representative sections of all the major habitats and ecosystems are protected for tomorrow's generations. The National Conservation Areas System protects more than 186 areas, including 32 national parks, eight biological reserves, 13 forest reserves, and 51 wildlife refuges. The national parks and reserves protect the soil and watersheds and harbor an estimated 75 percent of all Costa Rica's species of flora and fauna, including species that have all but disappeared in neighboring countries.

In all, 25.58 % of the country is composed of conservation and natural protected territory. During the past year, the government embarked on a plan to make Costa Rica the first carbon neutral country on the planet.

The success of Costa Rica's efforts to make peace with the world and with nature hasn't gone unnoticed by the international community. In the most recent annual country ratings by the company Future Brand, based on interviews with thousands of frequent international travelers and travel professionals, Costa Rica was classified as one of the ten most important destinations in the world regarding the environment. Costa Rica also ranked in the top ten for the category “Most Like to Live in”, where aspects such as the quality of life, government stability, climate, peace, tranquility, and security were taken into account. The Happy Planet Index, compiled by British research organization the New Economics Foundation rates Costa Rica third in a global ranking of countries with "happy" citizens. The study takes into account life satisfaction, life expectancy, and "ecological footprint"—the amount of land needed to sustain the population and counter consumption. (The U.S. came in 150th place.)

And, unlike the situation in many countries, Article 45 of the Costa Rican Constitution guarantees both its citizens and foreigners equal rights and protection of private property (except for the first 200 meters of oceanfront property, where ownership rights of foreigners are limited.)

However, today trouble is brewing in Costa Rica, especially in the two Pacific Coast provinces, Guanacaste and Puntarenas. The November 16, 2007 edition of the Tico Times (a weekly English language newspaper) summarized the disturbing report:

State of the Nation Report Finds Development Threatening Costa Rica


Costa Rica's image as a green country committed to environmental conservation is being threatened by the rapid growth of real estate and tourism development, according to the State of the Nation report released yesterday.


This yearly report found a big difference between “talk and practice” in terms of environmental policies, which makes for nonsustainable conservation practices and puts the environment at risk.


About 26% of Costa Rica's territory is protected, but there are important ecological areas at risk, the report found. For example, only 0.7% of the ocean territory is protected.


The report points to the northwestern Guanacaste and Puntarenas provinces, where there has been a construction boom in recent years.


Fragmentation of forests, threats to coastal ecosystems and a lack of protection of mangroves as well as overuse and contamination of rivers and poor management of trash are among problems the report cites as resulting from rapid growth.


The State of the Nation report has been prepared by a group of independent academics for the past 13 years.


Fortunately, the country's Caribbean coast has been spared this ruinous growth. Much of the coast north of the city of Limón lies within two protected areas: (1) the wild and wonderful Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, the country's largest refuge with 81,000 hectares (312 sq. miles), and (2) Tortuguero National Park, one of the most popular destinations (although it is only reachable via canals or small planes) because it is the most important nesting site for the green turtle in the entire western half of the Caribbean, and also serves as a refuge for other turtles, such as leatherbacks and hawksbills.

South of Limón, Cahuita National Park and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, together with several indigenous reserves, protect other vast areas.

In the small town and villages of the Southern Caribbean coast, and especially in Cahuita, you still can find Costa Rica - unspoiled.